Research project

Towns and the Cultural Economies of Recovery

Project overview

This project explored the 'Towns Fund' in 2021, examining the ways in which local authorities were using heritage and culture as a lever for economic and social regeneration. We worked with national and local partners to understand the opportunities and challenges that thinking about culture represented in 2021. We were particularly focused on the forms of public consultation, uses of existing cultural and heritage assets, and the development of local cultural ecologies in towns. We worked with creative practitioners, poets, visual and sound artists, to suggest new imaginary futures for towns.

Staff

Lead researchers

Professor Nicky Marsh

PROFESSOR

Research interests

  • Intersections between culture and economics
  • Cultural representations of risk, money, finance, markets
  • Gender, feminism and the economy 
Connect with Nicky

Other researchers

Professor Will May

Professor in Modern & Contemporary Lit

Research interests

  • modern and contemporary literature
  • mentoring and creative practice 
  • literary communities in modern culture 
Connect with Will

Collaborating research institutes, centres and groups

Research outputs